NASA has selected Blue Origin to provide a telecommunications network at Mars. The agency announced the decision on 1 September 2026. The firm-fixed-price contract has a maximum potential value of approximately 700 million US dollars.
What Blue Origin will deliver
Under the contract, Blue Origin will design, develop, integrate, launch and operate a high-performance telecommunications spacecraft in orbit around Mars. The spacecraft is to relay science data, images, navigation information and critical mission communications for spacecraft on and around the planet.
Timeline
- Delivery to NASA: no later than 31 December 2028
- Operational at Mars: expected by 2030
Why Mars needs its own network
Today, missions at Mars largely rely on science orbiters that also relay data as a secondary task. NASA wants a dedicated service instead. According to the agency, the network is meant to provide reliable, high-bandwidth communications and navigation for current and future Mars missions and to support preparations for human exploration of the planet.
"NASA is pursuing a purpose-built network capable of supporting a growing number of missions while providing greater capacity, reliability, and operational flexibility."NASA press release
A service model beyond Earth orbit
The contract follows a pattern NASA already uses in low Earth orbit: instead of owning the infrastructure, the agency buys a service from a commercial provider. With this award, the model reaches deep space.
Related reading
- Mars Telecommunications Network: How Data Gets From Mars to Earth
- Mars Lagrange Points: What They Are and Why They Matter for Mars Communications
- Satellite Ground Systems: Ground Stations, Antennas and Network Infrastructure
Sources
- NASA, "NASA Selects Blue Origin as Mars Telecommunications Network Provider", 1 September 2026: nasa.gov
Cover image: Global colour view of Mars. Image: NASA/JPL/USGS, images.nasa.gov.